Incubator.



No. 755,639. PATBNTBD MAR. 29, 1904. F. E. DOLPH 6x S.' R. KNAPP.

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INGUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. 1903.

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No. 755,639. PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904. F. E. DOLPH & S. R. KNAPP.

INGUBATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNI; 1o. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

lllllllll lllV Nirnn STATES ATnNr Patented March 2e, 1904.

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FRED E. DOLPH AND SHURMAN R. KNAPP, OF BATILECREEK, MICHIGAN.

INCUBATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,639, dated March 29, 1904.

Application filed .Tune 10, 1903. Serial No. 160,877. (No model.) i

To all whom, it 77mm/ concern:

Be it known that we, FRED E. DOLPH and SHURMAN R. KNAPP, citizens of the United States, residing at Battlecreek, inthe county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incubators; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in incubators; and its object is to provide improved means for heating and Ventilating the same, to provide improvedmeans for regulating the temperature within the same, and

. to provide the device with various new and useful features hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of an incubator embodying our device; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the same on the line 3 3 of Figs. l and 2; Fig. et, a horizontal section of the samev on the line 4. 4 of Figs. l and 2, and Fig. 5 a perspective of the device.

Like letters refer to like figures.

A represents the case, of any convenient dimensions, and having a glass door A' in the front and also provided with a vertical flue B to admit air, preferably located in the rear wall of the case and enlarged upward, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and opening into the Lipper part of the case in a narrow horizontal port or opening B'.

B is a gate or slide to limit and adjust the amount of air admitted to the case. To furparts in all of the .ther distribute the air and cause it to be evenly and rapidly heated, a horizontal plate C is provided, which plate is located below the plane of the port B and extends from the back and end walls to near the front wall, leaving a narrow space across the front for the air to escape downward. Beneath this plate and at a distance therefrom is a second horizontal plate extending from the front and F is a horizontal diffusion-screen beneath the radiator vto further heat and distribute the air, to prevent air-currents, and als-o to prevent direct radiation upon the eggs. This screen is made of any suitable foraminous material, preferably an open or loosely-woven fabric.

G represents the egg-trays, each being provided with a foraminous bottom to permit the air to pass freely therethrough. These trays are also removably supported on a middle bar H, supported from above, and end cleats I. Below the egg-trays a sufficient distance to provide room for the chickens is a removable frame or floor J, upon the middle portion of which is stretched a suitable support K for the chickens, preferably of closely-woven canvas, and at each end of this floor are perforated plates L, extending entirely across the ends of the same. Beneath this iioor are partitions P to provide chambers to receive the air escaping through the plates L. From these chambers the air is conveyed by means offa number of pipes O, preferably inserted in each end of the chambers. To equalize the draft of these pipes, they are all of substantially the same length and diameter and open into the T N, located centrally of the case, from which T a pipe M extends to the heating-chamber R, in which is a fine or chimney Q, heated by any convenient means, preferably a lamp. (Not shown.) In the chamber R the air drawn from the case is heated and rising to the top thereof escapes into the radiator-pipes E and after passing through the same escapes into the open air. The iue Q is also provided with a branch pipe Q/ in the axis of the radiator-pipe E and opening into the same, whereby more or less of the hot gases passing up the flue Q are discharged into the pipe E.

S is a damper to more or less close the top of the ffue Q and direct the flow through the IOO unequal currents.

branch pipe E. This damper is operated by any convenient thermostat. (Not shown.) The flue Q is also provided with a series of openings Q", connecting its interior with the interior of the heating-chamber R, near the top thereof.

By discharging' the air into the top of the case in a thin broad sheet and causing it to ow over the heated plates C and D it becomes evenly distributed and heated and thence is discharged in a thin sheet upon the middle pipe E, which is the hottest of the series, and thence is diused evenly over the entire surface of the screen F, being uniformly heated and distributed and without any appreciable The eggs are thus acted upon uniformly and properly. Below the eggtrays the air has no tendency to pass through the canvas K, as the partitions P cut off the draft of the pipes O. The perforated plates L, extending across both ends, and the pipes O, drawing uniformly from both ends of said chambers, draw off the air rapidly and at the same time without any local currents. The chicks are thus in a quiet atmosphere, well ventilated and of uniform temperature, amost desirable condition for freshly-hatched chickens. By reheating the foul air to operate the radiator we secure economy and at the same time the tendency to rise in the chamber R, caused by such heating, accelerates the circulation through the device and insures proper ventilation thereof. Whenever the thermostat raises the damper, the draft through the radiator is decreased by permitting a part of the gases in the chimney Q to escape under the damper directly to the open air. At the same time the circulation through the device is fully maintained by the escape of the foul air from the heating-chamber through the openings Q, which also reduces the circulation through the radiator. We thus secure prompt and eflicient regulation of the heat and at the same time maintain eiicient ventilation, a very desirable result not heretofore accomplished so far as we are advised.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"- 1. In an incubator, the combination of a case, a radiator in the case, horizontal plates above the radiator and extending from opposite sides of the case and partially across the same, means for admitting air above the plates, and means for withdrawing air from below the radiator.

2. In an incubator, the combination of a case, a radiator in the case, horizontal plates above the radiator and extending partially across the case, a vertical flue in the rear wall of the case and opening into the case above the plates, and means for removing air from the lower part of the case.

3. In an incubator, the combination of a case, a radiator, horizontal plates above the 'perforated plates to a centrally-located T, and

a pipe to remove the air from the T.

5. In an incubator, the combination of a floor having an imperforate central portion and perforated end portions, partitions beneath the iioor, pipes extending through said partitions, and connected to a centrally-located T, and a pipe to remove air from the lT.

6. In an incubator, the combination of a case, a `ioor near the bottom of the case and having a central portion of canvas and perforated plates extending across each end, partitions beneath the respective end's of the canvas portions of the floor, pipes extending through said partitions near each end thereof, a centrally-located T connected to said pipes, and a pipe extending from the T to outside the case.

7 In an incubator, the combination of a case, horizontal plates near the top of the case and extending oppositely and partially across the same, a radiator beneath the plates, a diffusion-screen and egg-trays below the radiator, a floor beneath the trays, openings near the respective ends of the floor, pipes beneath the floor, a centrally-located T connected to the pipes, and a pipe connected to the T to remove the air therefrom.

8. In an incubator, the combination of a case, a flue in the `rear wall of the case and opening into the top of the case, a plate extending horizontally from the rear wall of the case to near the front wall of the same, a second plate beneath the first-named plate and extending from the front wall of the case to near the middle of the same, a radiator beneath the plates, egg-trays beneath the radiator, a iioor beneath the trays, and having a canvas middle portion and perforated end portions, pipes opening beneath the corners of theviioor and extending to a centrally-located T and a pipe from the T to outside the case.

9. In an incubator, the combination of a case, a radiator in the upper part of the case, an air-heater opening into the radiator, aheating-flue in the air-heater and also opening into the radiator, means for regulating the flow from the heating-flue into the radiator, and a foul-air pipe connecting the bottom of the case with the air-heater.

10. In an incubator, the combination of a case, a radiator in the upper part of the case, a foul-air pipe in the lower part of the case, an air-heater opening into the radiator and foul-air pipe, a heating-fine in the air-heater, a branch pipe to the heating-flue and opening into the axis of the radiator-pipe, and a damper to the heating-flue.

l1. In an incubator, the combination of a case, a radiator in the upper part of the case, a foul-air pipe near the bottom of the case, an air-heater opening into both the radiator and the foul-air pipe, a heating-Hue in the airheater, a branch to said flue opening into the radiator, and a damper to control the flow of air through said branch and also adapted to allow the heated air to escape directly from the air-heater.

12. In an incubator, the combination of a case, an air-heater, a radiator opening into the air-heater, horizontal plates above the radiator and extending partially across the case in opposite directions, means for admitting cold air above the plates, a diffusion-screen and egg-trays below the radiator, a perforated iioor beneath the egg-trays, pipes beneath the floor and opening into the air-heater, and a damper to permit the air to escape directly from the air-heater.

13. In anfincubator, the combination oil a case, an air-heating chamber, a heating-flue in said chamber and having lateral openings into the same, a damper to the flue, a radiator opening into the upper part of the air-.heating chamber, and a foul-air pipe opening into the lower part of said chamber.

14. Inan incubator, the combination of a case, a flue opening into the upper part ofthe case, horizontal plates extending partially across the case, a radiator beneath said plates, a diffusion-screen and egg-trays beneath said radiator, a floor beneath the trays, perforated plates at each end of the Hoor, foul-air pipes extending from beneath said plates, an airheater connected to said pipes to receive air from the same, a heating-flue in said air-heater, and having lateral openings into the same, a branch from the flue and opening into the radiator and a damper to said flue, and located above the branch and openings of the flue.

In testimony whereof we aix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRED E. DOLPH. SHURMAN R. KNAPP.

Witnesses:

H. P. CROCKETT, HORACE O. S'roNER. 

